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Math Based

Hands-On Math: Factoring and Balancing Chemical Equations

December 22, 2017 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Written by Kim at The Learning Hypothesis.

Hands-on Chemical Equations Fun!

Chemistry requires a lot of algebraic thinking in order to be successful and it’s easy to incorporate hands-on chemical equations. Chemistry includes formulas, proportions, and the basis of the balanced chemical equation includes math concepts like the lowest common multiple, factoring, and the distributive property.

Balancing equations is necessary to satisfy the law of conservation of matter and simple means that what goes into a reaction comes back out.

The number of atoms on one side of the yields sign will equal the number on the other side.

Learning this kind of advanced math can be a bit tricky for students, so I like to make it as hands-on as I can.

Middle & High School Hands-On Math: Factoring and Balancing Chemical Equations. Chemistry requires a lot of algebraic thinking in order to be successful. It includes formulas, proportions, and the basis of the balanced chemical equation includes math concepts like the lowest common multiple, factoring, and the distributive property. Look at this fun hands-on idea to bring math alive!

This hands-on balancing chemical equations activity was a great way for my kids to visualize the concept as they learned.

How to Factor and Balance Chemical Equations

Let’s talk about the 3 mathematical concepts that are necessary to balance these equations:

  • Lowest common multiple
  • Factoring
  • Distributive property

The lowest common multiple (LCM) is the smallest number that 2 (or more numbers) are factors of.

Factoring is the process of determining what combinations of numbers can be multiplied to create a specific product. It looks like this.

Factoring Numbers

Distributive property says that multiplying a number by a group of numbers added together is the same as doing each multiplication separately.

In the case of balancing equations it means that when we add (or change) coefficients that the change will impact all of the elements in the formula.
Example

Balancing Chemical Equations

In this equation, there are 2 atoms of oxygen on the reactants side and 1 atom on the product side.
Reminder: the only thing that can be changed is the coefficient.

The LCM of 1 & 2 is 2. The factors of 2 are 1 & 2 so 2 is the first coefficient to try.

How to Balance Chemical Equations

That 2 will multiply the 2 hydrogens and the 1 oxygen atom resulting in 4 hydrogen and 2 atoms.

Now the hydrogen are unbalanced. There are more hydrogen on the product side.

The LCM between the two sets of hydrogen is 4. The factors of 4 are 1 & 4 and 2 & 2.

To make the hydrogen on the reactants side equal the number on the products side we will use a coefficient of 2 on the reactant side. This results in 4 hydrogen atoms on both sides.

Balancing Chemical Equations for Kids

All balanced.

Now if all of that math, made your head spin. Let’s look at a hands-on way to work through balancing these chemical equations.

Hands-On Activity for Balancing Chemical Equations

Make Factor Trees:

Do a quick lesson/review on creating factor trees. This is something many students have done since upper elementary. This is a great review of factor trees.

I like to actually multiply the number of atoms to get a common multiple and use factor trees to determine the lowest common multiple and the coefficients needed for that number of atoms.

This is a quick example…

How to Make Factor Trees

The factor trees make it easier to determine both the lowest common multiple and the coefficients (the factors of the LCM will be used in conjunction with the subscripts in the formulas

For instance if you were trying to balance an element with 4 atoms on the reactant side and 6 atoms on the product side, you can multiply those together to get 24.

Do a factor tree and quickly discover the lowest common multiple is 12 and the factors of 12 that will be used as coefficients.

Create a Chemical Equation Balance

Making a Math Balance

Supplies:

  • ruler
  • paper clips (colored are best)
  • binder clips
  • pencil

Directions:

  1. Place the binder clips on the opposite ends of the ruler.
  2. Count the type of atoms in your equation.
  3. Now count the number of each atom and add it to the corresponding binder clip (Use a different color for each element)
  4. Use the factor trees to help determine how to best balance the equation by adding atoms (paper clips)
  5. The ruler will be flat (balanced) when the number of atoms is balanced.

Using the example from above. This is the balance in action.

Hands On Math Balancing Equations Activity

Unbalanced equation:

This balance activity uses green paper clips for the hydrogen atoms and blue paper clips for the oxygen atoms.

To balance the oxygen, we added the coefficient to the product side to balance the oxygen.

The result is that hydrogen is now unbalanced. There are 4 atoms (paper clips) on the product side and only 2 on the reactant side.

The balance is leaning to the right.

Balancing Chemical Equations Activity

To completely balance the equation add the coefficient to the hydrogen on the reactant side.

DIY Balancing Chemical Equations Activity

Changes the number of hydrogen from 2 to 4 which completely balances the equation and the balance.

Middle & High School Hands-On Math: Factoring and Balancing Chemical Equations. Chemistry requires a lot of algebraic thinking in order to be successful. It includes formulas, proportions, and the basis of the balanced chemical equation includes math concepts like the lowest common multiple, factoring, and the distributive property. Look at this fun hands-on idea to bring math alive!

Make learning math fun and easy with these other hands-on activities!

  • 25 Creative and Tasty Edible Math Activities That Keep Learning Fun
  • 21 Hands-On Math Activities for Elementary and Middle School
  • How to Shake Up STEAM with Geography for Middle School

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities, Math Based, Middle School Homeschool Tagged With: hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, math, middleschool

Hands-On Math: Fun and Easy Snowflake Geometry

December 15, 2017 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have an easy snowflake geometry activity.

With the onset of winter weather, we’ve experienced the first few snow flurries in our area.

Just the mention of the word snow and kids of all ages get into a tizzy that brings delight and happiness.

I really wanted to bring that feeling of magic into our lessons, so I began hunting for ideas for my older kids.

Hands-On Math: Fun and Easy Snowflake Geometry. With the onset of winter weather, we’ve experienced the first few snow flurries in our area. Add a bit of math and science together to make these easy snowflakes and study a bit of geometry too. CLICK HERE to make this easy hands-on math craft!

When my kids were younger, we did a lot with crafts.

Crafts are a great way to make lessons hands-on and fun.

The more ways you can make math an art activity, the more kids can connect with the concept.

It’s also nice to connect other subjects and make lessons more efficient and engaging.

Because my kids are older, we’ve fallen away from crafts. However, it had become my goal to find a learning craft to tie into both math and science for the winter season.

Easy Snowflake Geometry

The following craft was the perfect lesson to review angles and geometrical shapes.

To get in our science skills at the same time, we learned a little about the science of weather.

Winter can be a hard time to keep focused with lessons, so this activity can be a great way to keep up your schooling stamina.

Hands-On Math: Simple Snowflake Geometry

Break out the smocks, paint, and craft sticks!! It’s time to get crafty! Here is a fun DIY decoration for your kids to make for their rooms, for a friend, or for a party.

For this craft, you will need the following materials:

  • craft sticks
  • protractor
  • liquid glue or a hot glue gun
  • any color of paint
  • paper to cover work space
  • paint brushes
  • decorative ribbon
  • double stick foam tape

We began this lesson by reviewing the different types of angles. We measured out and drew a 30 degree angle using the protractor.

Making a Simple Math Geometry Craft

Then we used 6 craft sticks to glue together a star shape. We were careful to make sure our angles measured at 30 degrees.

Winter Snowflake Geometry Craft

Next we added the points to our star in the form of diamonds or rhombuses.

At this point, a few of the kids got off of their measurements which resulted in the creation of their own shapes.

Painting a Geometric Snowflake

The kids then chose a color of paint to paint their snowflakes.

Making a Geometric Snowflake

You’ll love these living books for winter which bring learning alive when your kids hit the doldrums.

Winter NaturExplorers 940x788 (Facebook)


There are many ways to extend this activity:

  • Use the book Snowflake Bentley to learn about the man who studied snowflakes and invented the photomicrographic technique.
  • Research the science of snowflakes. Learn how snowflakes are made and what determines the shape of snowflakes.
  • Learn the seven shapes of snowflakes and then identify all of the shapes found in each snowflake type.
Hands-On Math: Fun and Easy Snowflake Geometry. With the onset of winter weather, we’ve experienced the first few snow flurries in our area. Add a bit of math and science together to make these easy snowflakes and study a bit of geometry too. CLICK HERE to make this easy hands-on math craft!

Add more math learning fun to your winter studies with these hands-on activities!

  • 21 Hands-On Math Activities for Elementary and Middle School
  • STEM: Build a Da Vinci Parachute Activity
  • 25 Creative and Tasty Edible Math Activities That Keep Learning Fun

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities, Math Based Tagged With: earthscience, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschoolinginwinter, homeschoolscience, math, science

21 Hands-On Math Activities for Elementary and Middle School

December 13, 2017 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

As our kids get older, it’s so easy to start shying away from teaching more advanced math concepts. Especially if you were an English major in college, like someone I know. *cough* me *coughcough*

Math is taught very differently now than it was when I was in school.

When I started looking at upper elementary and middle school math concepts to teach my children a couple of years ago, I felt completely lost. It was like going back to school myself!

But, over time, I’ve gotten more comfortable with these concepts.

There are 21 math learning activities that are perfect for upper elementary and middle school homeschooled students, even if you're not math inclined yourself. CLICK HERE to grab an idea or two!

I’ve also found a few ways to make abstract math ideas come to life with these fun hands-on math projects and crafts!There are 21 math learning activities below that are perfect for upper elementary and middle school students, even if you’re not math inclined yourself.

21 Hands-On Math Projects

All of these math crafts and projects are adaptable, so you can use them for several grade levels.

If you have one child in middle school and one in elementary school, you could use the same activity and just adjust the kinds of problems involved to suit their ability. It’s up to you!

1. Let the kids walk a negative number line to learn about positive and negative integers.

2. Celebrate Pi Day with this gorgeous Pi Art Skyline craft.

3. Display fractions visually with this neat Fraction Tree the kids can make.

4. Play this easy Sidewalk Chalk Math Game and use equations, exponents, or any math concept your child is currently studying.

5. Learning to multiply fractions can be tricky. This Hands-On Multiplying Fractions Activity can help.

6. Show the kids how the Fibonacci sequence works with this lovely Fibonacci Art Project.

Hands-On Math Projects

7. Create math art with these LEGO Tessellations.

8. Combine art techniques and basic multiplication with this Skip Counting Pointillism Art.

9. If your kids love Minecraft, these Printable Minecraft Math Cubes will be a perfect DIY manipulative.

10. Get comfortable with four-digit numbers with this simple Safe Cracker Math Game kids can play on their own.

If you’re looking for ways to make math more meaningful check out Loving Living Math
Our Journey Westward

11. Kids love to write secret codes. This Number Line Secret Code Activity looks like fun.

12. Introduce the concept of statistics with this “sweet” Candy Statistics activity.

13. Encourage creative kids to use Math Journaling to demonstrate mastery of math skills in an artistic way.

14. Play a matching game and practice spotting polygons with these printable polygon flashcards.

15. Show kids how chaos theory works with this easy Chaos Theory Activity.

16. These Printable Long Division Puzzles are excellent for helping kids become comfortable with division.

17. Create your own measurement tool with this cool build a LEGO balance project.

18. Play a game of Multiplication Checkers and get some fun times tables practice.

19. This beautiful Parabolic Curve Art is a nice way to add STEAM learning to a lesson.

20. Build this DIY Abacus Craft to use design and create a math tool at the same time.

There are 21 math learning activities that are perfect for upper elementary and middle school homeschooled students, even if you're not math inclined yourself. CLICK HERE to grab an idea or two!

21. Work on measurement outdoors with this Sunflower Garden Math activity.Which of these hands-on math projects do you plan to try with your kids? I’d love to know how they work out for you!

Add more hands-on math learning with these ideas!

  • 25 Creative and Tasty Edible Math Activities That Make Learning Fun

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities, Math Based Tagged With: hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, math

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